Asylum system is completely broken, campaigners say, as number of refugees facing homelessness soars

Campaigners have warned that the asylum system in the UK is “completely broken” as new government figures show that the number of homeless refugees had surged exponentially.

Statutory homelessness figures released on Thursday (8 August) by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government revealed that as many as 4,840 refugee households were homeless between January and March of this year. This represents an increase of 348.1% from the same time period last year, which is almost quadruple.

The figures also show that the total number of refugee households either homeless or at risk of becoming homeless was 6,110 between January and March of this year. 

Charities have slammed government policy which means people who are granted asylum have just 28 days to leave Home Office accommodation – whether it’s a B&B, hotel, or military base. After this period they are required to find a place to live, or apply for help from local councils.

The new Labour government is being warned that this policy “sets refugees up to fail from the start” and has led to a huge rise in the numbers of refugees facing homelessness. 

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“It’s entirely unrealistic to expect newly-recognised refugees to find a home in that time, with no income and no savings. It’s no surprise to see such high numbers in need of homelessness assistance,” Enver Solomon, CEO of the Refugee Council, told the Big Issue. 

Solomon also praised the Labour government’s focus on “kick-starting asylum processing”, claiming it was “not a credible approach” to continue to house refugees in hotels “with no end in sight”. 

“As more asylum decisions are made it’s vital government puts in place sufficient support to ensure that people granted refugee status aren’t left without a home,” Solomon added. 

“Let’s remember these are people who have been forced from their countries due to violence and persecution, have come to the UK in search of safety and have been recognised as refugees in need of protection. 

“The government must now follow through by supporting refugees to contribute to our communities by starting with the crucial first step of extending the move-on period to help ensure that they have a roof over their head.”

The rise in refugee homelessness is thought to have been worsened by Rishi Sunak’s decision in 2023 to reduce the amount of time a newly-recognised refugee could remain in asylum accommodation before being evicted. HIs government reduced the time to just seven days in an attempt to clear the asylum backlog, but this was quickly U-turned after the number of refugees becoming homeless after leaving asylum accommodation tripled.

Charities and experts claim the 28-day move-on period is not enough to be able to secure accommodation, with many campaigning to extend the period to 56 days. 

“Leaving refugees with newly granted settled status on the streets was the end point in an asylum system completely broken by the last government,” Steve Smith, CEO of Care4Calais, explained.

“For people who have fled horrors such as war, torture and modern slavery, being granted refugee status in the UK and, with it, the hope of a safe future, should be a moment of celebration. For too many in the last year, it has become their latest nightmare.”

Smith added that the Labour government “must fix Britain’s asylum system from the start point, by creating safe routes to claim asylum in the UK, through to the end point, where people granted refugee status are supported to move on with hope not dumped on the streets to be homeless”.

Housing charity Shelter added that the figures were a “damning indictment” of how refugees are being treated in the UK.

“People are being given less than a month to find a home, in an increasingly competitive housing market that is already desperately short of affordable renting options,” Polly Neate, chief executive of Shelter, said.

“Not allowing refugees, who have been given a legal right to remain here, adequate time to find a home is only going to lead to homelessness. The Home Office must work more closely with councils to prevent this from happening.”

What benefits are refugees entitled to?

People seeking asylum in England can’t claim benefits, however they are entitled to £49.18 each week to help with costs for food, toiletries, clothes and travel. Asylum seekers are entitled to the money if they are staying in asylum housing, or if staying with friends and family.

People who are pregnant or have young children are also entitled to extra payments, with pregnant people receiving £5.25 a week, and people with a baby under one year old receiving £9.50 a week. 

Asylum seekers without refugee status are not allowed to work, even in a voluntary position. 

After refugee status is granted, people are granted a biometric residence permit (BRP), which means you stop getting your cash allowance, and you have to move out of asylum accommodation. With the BRP, refugees are allowed to work, apply for benefits, get a National Insurance number and open a bank account. 

Once an asylum seeker is granted refugee status, this is when the 28-day period to find housing begins, with many refugee households facing homelessness after this time. 

The government’s figures on refugee homelessness comes as the UK saw far-right riots hit several cities over last weekend, which saw demonstrators target mosques and set fire to a hotel used to house asylum seekers.

The weekend’s riots, however, were met with an outpouring of support following anti-migrant sentiment, with thousands of peaceful marchers taking to Walthamstow, east London on Wednesday to stand in solidarity with refugees. 

A government spokesperson told the Big Issue: “We have inherited huge pressures in the asylum system, but we are working to make sure individuals have the support they need following an asylum decision and to help local authorities better plan their assistance with homelessness. 

“Support for newly-recognised refugees is available through Migrant Help and their partners, which includes advice on how to access universal credit, the labour market and where to get assistance with housing.”

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